The festival will be held from 6pm to 11pm each day from Feb 22-24 across key streets in Phuket Old Town, including Thalang, Krabi, Phang Nga and Thepkrasattri roads.
Phuket City Mayor Suppachoke Laongphet announced the event at a press conference at Dragon Square in Queen Sirikit Park on Monday (Feb 9), alongside officials from the Phuket Provincial Cultural Office, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Phuket Office, Phuket City Police Station and representatives from the local food and creative industries.
Mr Suppachoke said the festival aims to preserve Phuket Old Town’s cultural heritage while promoting tourism and stimulating the local economy, in line with the government’s Soft Power policy and sustainable development goals.
“This festival reflects Phuket’s traditional cultural heritage and way of life passed down from our ancestors. It helps create jobs, generate income for the community and build pride among local people, while also attracting visitors,” he said.
A key highlight will be the Phuket Festival 2026 Parade, involving more than 300 participants from the public and private sectors, schools and community groups, showcasing local culture, traditions and contemporary creativity.
Visitors will also be able to take part in a daily check-in activity to explore Phuket Old Town, with 600 souvenirs given away each day, while a City of Gastronomy zone will feature more than 400 food, drink and product stalls.
Cultural activities will include Chinese paper-cutting, calligraphy, folding gold leaf and guzheng music performances, along with exhibitions on Chinese New Year traditions and the worship of deities.
The popular ‘Fire Dragon Tunnel’, stretching more than 40 metres, will return along Thepkrasattri Rd and Phuket Rd, with more than eight check-in points and seven performance stages set up throughout the festival area.
Phuket City Municipality has arranged five parking areas to accommodate more than 600 vehicles, including sites near Plukpanya Municipal School, Meizhou Hotel, Wat Khajorn Rangsan and Daeng Plaza Hotel, as well as motorcycle parking near the City Dialysis Center on Krabi Rd.
Police and municipal officers will be deployed to manage traffic and ensure safety during the three-day event.
In addition to the main event, the Lantern Festival (Yuanxiao Festival) will be held from Feb 11 to Mar 3, with decorative lantern displays at Queen Sirikit Park and the Suriyadej Circle.
The displays reflect themes of cultural roots, migration and auspiciousness, with lanterns symbolising good fortune, hope and new beginnings, and maritime motifs representing the migration history of overseas Chinese to Phuket.
TRADITIONAL CLEAN-UP
As part of preparations for Chinese New Year, Phuket City Municipality has also launched a city-wide clean-up campaign, running from Feb 9-16, with free collection of large household waste items.
Mayor Suppachoke presided over the launch of a garbage truck convoy at the Saphan parking area on Rattanakosin 200 Pi Rd on Monday afternoon.
The campaign is based on the traditional belief that homes should be cleaned before Chinese New Year to sweep away bad luck and welcome good fortune.
Residents can place large waste items in front of their homes for collection between 1pm and 7pm on scheduled days. The municipality has introduced a QR code system for residents to report bulky waste and leftover garbage, including location pinpoints via Google Maps, to improve collection efficiency.